Cap for an aerosol container



M. MELOCCHI Nov. 5', 1968 CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER Filed April 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 5, 1968 M. MELOCCHI 3,409,136

CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER Filed April 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 II/I/II/l/ flli Nov. 5, 1968 M. MELOCCHI CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 21, 1967 IIHH FIGS

Nov. 5, 1968 M. MELOCCHI CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 21, 1967 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cap for an aerosol container comprising opposed pushbuttons which, when squeezed, depress or swing an intermediate member, thereby causing it to actuate the outlet valve of the container.

Specification The present invention relates to a cap for an aerosol container of the type comprising a valve which is known per se and is operated by depressing it or swinging it. The cap is characterized by the fact that it comprises in combination two lateral push-buttons mounted in recesses in the cap and having surfaces which engage cooperating surfaces on a valve-actuating member, said cooperating surfaces being shaped like a rooftop, and guide means in the cap for determining and limiting the movement of the push-buttons.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, two embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and purely by way of illustration, without limiting the scope of the invention to the details thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the cap according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an axial section through the cap shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view like FIGURE 2, except that the two push-buttons are shown pressed toward each other;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional vie-w taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an axial section taken through a second embodiment of the cap according to the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIGURE 6, showing the push-buttons pressed toward each other; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 VIII-VI'II of FIGURE 7.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 4, an aerosol container 1 carries a cap 2 according to the invention, said container being provided with a depressible valve which functions in a conventional manner.

This cap is preferably molded from a hard plastic material.

The cap is formed during the molding with an inner recess 3 in a cylindrical housing 4 which is a force fit over the collar 5 on the container. A skirt 6 is formed on the housing 4 during molding and fits onto the frusto-conical upper surface of the container 1.

The housing 4 has a fiat top 7 and three lateral openings: an oblong opening 8, and two openings 9 which are aligned transversely of the cap and equidistant from the opening 8.

The housing 4 contains a cylindrical member 10 which is a force fit in the inner recess 3 and retained therein by any suitable means, such as an adhesive. The cylindrical member 10 is provided at its top with a central recess 11, preferably rectangular in section, with its major dimension disposed along the axis of the cap. This orifice 11 is bounded by the upper and lower surfaces 12 and 12a, and at its sides by the surfaces 13 and 13a.

The housing 4 is provided with a cylindrical axial bore 14 which communicates through the member 10 and a passage 14a with the opening 8.

An elbow-shaped member 15 comprises a cylindrical portion bounded at its upper end by two plane surfaces 16 inclined at identical angles to a diametral plane and by a flat surface 17 perpendicular to said diametral plane, thus producing, as shown in FIGURE 2, an upper surface for the member 15 having the overall shape of a rooftop.

The cylindrical portion of the elbow-shaped member 15 is seated in the recess 14. The member 15 comprises a tapering arm 18 which is mounted in the passage 14a. This arm 18 carries at its outer end a substantially rectangular face-plate 19 which slides in a slot 20 in the housing 4 behind the opening 8.

This member 15 contains an outlet passage for the aerosol and has at its ends two conventional devices, one for actuating the valve and the other for spraying the aerosol, for example the nozzle 21.

Two members 22 within the openings 9 and 11 constitute push-buttons to actuate the elbow-shaped member. These members 22 comprise a finger 23 of a suitable rectangular shape mounted in the recess 11 and a button 24 fitting into the opening 9 and having a lower vertical internal surface mating with the external surface of the cylindrical member 10.

The outer surface of each button 24 is concave as shown at 25 to facilitate the reception of the fingers when pressure is to be exerted thereon.

The finger 23 has a sloping surface 26 positioned at the same angle as the surfaces 16 of the member 15.

The lower parts of the buttons 24 are provided with recesses 27. Two rods 28 seated in holes 29 in the housing 4 shown in FIGURE 2 extend at one end into the recesses 27 and thereby limit the radial path of travel of the push buttons 22.

When the member 15 is in the position shown in FIG- URE 2 the pressure of the spring in the outlet valve of the container 1 biasses the inclined surfaces 16 of the member 15 against the corresponding surfaces of the push buttons 22 and separates them as shown in that figure.

In order to spray the aerosol it sutfices to press the two push-buttons 22 in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 1, thus urging the push-buttons to- Ward each other, by holding the cap in the hand while squeezing the push-buttons between a thumb and finger.

0 The two opposed pressures urge the member 15 downward along the axis of the container by acting on the inclined surfaces 16. The member 15 cannot turn. Its nozzle 21 stays in the opening 8 because the face plate 19 slides in the slot 20 and the arm 18 of the member 15 slides in the passage 14a.

When the elbow-shaped member 15 is forced downward toward container, the container valve is actuated and the aerosol escapes through the nozzle 21.

When the pressure on the push-button is relieved, the spring of the container valve returns the member 15 to the position of FIGURE 2 and the release of aerosol ceases.

In another embodiment of the cap according to the invention shown on FIGURES S, 6, 7 and 8, the cap 2a is mounted on a container 1a holding an aerosol solution and comprising a valve which is operated by swinging it.

The housing 4a is provided with internal ribs or webs. The circular web 30, which is concentric with the axis of the cap, has a flange 30a which can be snapped over the upper collar on the container to attach the cap to the container as shown in FIGURE 5. The transverse webs 31 have free ends which act to hold the push-buttons 22a in place. These push-buttons comprise inwardly extending projections 33 and are provided with shoulders 22b and 22c formed when the push-buttons are molded. The push-buttons 22a are held in place by the ends of the webs 31 and 32 and are initially inserted therebetween by pushing the buttons in with sufficient force to spread the webs 31 and 32. V v

A cylindrical member 15a has two plane surfaces 16a which are inclined slightly toward each other and are in contact, when the container is not spraying aerosol, with the projections 33 on the push-buttons 225i.

The cylindrical member 15a. carries an arm 1811 which terminates in a face-plate 19a athwart the opening 8.

When the two push-buttons are urged toward each other, the member 15 is swung, since its upper part is urged toward the Opening 8, while its lower end pivots about an axis in its lower part near the'valve. This causes its spigot to slightly displace the wall of the valve opening of the container, thus releasing the aerosol which escapes through the nozzle 21 as shown in FIGURE 8.

When the pressure is released, the elasticity of the material from which the valve is made returns the spigot to its vertical position and closes the valve opening, so that the flow of aerosol is stopped.

It will of course be appreciated that the embodiments which have been described have been given purely by way of example and may be modified as to detail Without thereby departing from the basic principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cap for an aerosol container provided with a pressure actuated outlet valve, said cap comprising a housing, an actuating member pierced by an internal passage and terminating at one end in a nozzle, said actuating member being mounted in said housing for movement between a dispensing position in which the end remote from said nozzle urges said valve into an open position connecting said container to said passageway and a rest position in which no pressure is exerted on said valve, means for attaching said cap to such a container, guide means in said housing, diametrally opposed push-buttons mounted to be guided by said guide means toward and away from each other, said pushbuttons being provided with actuating surfaces at their inner ends and said actuating member being provided with cooperating inclined surfaces positioned to be engaged by the actuating surfaces on said push-buttons when said push-buttons are moved toward each other so that said movement urges said actuating member toward its dispensing position thus opening said valve while release of said push-buttons permits said actuatingmemher to return to its rest position, permitting said valve to close. 7

2. A cap as claimed in claim 1 in which each pushbutton comprises a surface in sliding contact with'a c'or responding surface on said guide means, aprojection ex: tending from one of said surfaces in sliding contact and 'a groove in the surface in contact therewith, in which groove said projection is received, whereby the length of said groove determines the length of movement of that push button. I v

3. A cap as claimed in claim 1 in which the inclined surfaces on said actuating member approach each" other as they approach the upper end of said actuating member so that pressure thereagainst by said push buttons urges the actuating member downward against said outlet valve.

4. A cap as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating member is pivotally mounted to swing between said dispensing and rest positions, and the inclined surfaces on said actuating member are positioned at an'angle such that, when engaged by the inclined'surfaces on said push buttons, movement of said push buttons toward each other pivots said actuating member into its dispensing position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1964 Hulsh 239-579 X 12/1967 Scholle 25l342 X 

